Cost of Living Comparison Between Beirut and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Beirut and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,390 in Beirut versus $1,031 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,293 in Beirut versus $1,599 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,195 in Beirut versus $2,167 in Medellin.

Living in Beirut is roughly 35% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Beirut is 4% above, Medellin is 23% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.63 LBP 951.4K

$6.16 COP 20.0K

72.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.8 LBP 5.4M

$32.60 COP 106.0K

83.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.84 LBP 701.7K

$7.34 COP 23.9K

6.81%

Cappuccino

$3.32 LBP 296.7K

$1.72 COP 5,592

93.02%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 LBP 140.7K

$1.05 COP 3,416

49.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 LBP 77.7K

$0.77 COP 2,511

12.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 LBP 311.5K

$1.69 COP 5,480

105.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.95 LBP 442.9K

$3.17 COP 10.3K

56.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 LBP 158.6K

$1.05 COP 3,418

68.57%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 LBP 70.8K

$1.30 COP 4,230

-39.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 LBP 162.5K

$1.40 COP 4,538

30.00%

Eggs

$3.10 LBP 277.8K

$2.16 COP 7,037

43.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.08 LBP 992.0K

$4.39 COP 14.3K

152.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.37 LBP 838.3K

$5.88 COP 19.1K

59.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.46 LBP 1.0M

$8.64 COP 28.1K

32.64%

Apples (1kg)

$1.74 LBP 155.9K

$2.28 COP 7,415

-23.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 LBP 130.0K

$1.11 COP 3,599

30.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.14 LBP 102.2K

$1.53 COP 4,976

-25.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.05 LBP 94.1K

$1.35 COP 4,405

-22.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 LBP 89.1K

$1.13 COP 3,669

-11.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 LBP 93.4K

$1.13 COP 3,687

-7.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 LBP 79.8K

$0.85 COP 2,749

4.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 LBP 47.2K

$0.91 COP 2,971

-41.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.52 LBP 225.9K

$2.34 COP 7,619

7.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.18 LBP 911.3K

$12.37 COP 40.2K

-17.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 LBP 116.1K

$1.20 COP 3,904

8.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 LBP 190.2K

$2.49 COP 8,094

-14.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.97 LBP 176.1K

$0.84 COP 2,724

134.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.1 LBP 6.4M

$40.57 COP 131.9K

75.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.95 LBP 442.8K

$1.42 COP 4,617

248.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 LBP 113.2K

$1.92 COP 6,227

-34.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.02 LBP 1.8M

$7.66 COP 24.9K

161.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 LBP 83.3K

$0.99 COP 3,219

-6.06%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$34.9K LBP 3.1B

$18.0K COP 58.6M

93.31%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$28.0K LBP 2.5B

$26.6K COP 86.6M

5.07%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$217 LBP 19.4M

$80.8 COP 262.7K

168.35%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$37.42 LBP 3.3M

$9.95 COP 32.3K

276.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.20 LBP 3.3M

$24.18 COP 78.6K

53.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.3 LBP 6.1M

$25.08 COP 81.5K

172.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.66 LBP 2.7M

$19.15 COP 62.3K

54.88%

Cinema Ticket

$7.83 LBP 700.5K

$3.98 COP 13.0K

96.73%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$305 LBP 27.3M

$305 COP 992.2K

-0.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,511 LBP 403.7M

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-25.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.7 LBP 6.2M

$58.1 COP 189.0K

19.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.73 LBP 4.0M

$32.20 COP 104.7K

38.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 LBP 10.9M

$101 COP 327.5K

20.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.7 LBP 8.5M

$108 COP 350.3K

-12.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$789 LBP 70.6M

$477 COP 1.5M

65.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 LBP 33.7M

$376 COP 1.2M

0.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,956 LBP 175.1M

$845 COP 2.7M

131.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$970 LBP 86.8M

$730 COP 2.4M

32.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,944 LBP 352.9M

$3,215 COP 10.5M

22.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,952 LBP 174.7M

$1,372 COP 4.5M

42.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$715 LBP 64.0M

$617 COP 2.0M

15.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.16

13.43

-16.90%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Beirut: July 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $789 in Beirut and $477 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Beirut pays 16% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $60.0 in Beirut vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $233 vs $193 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Beirut vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 35% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 16% higher in Beirut, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $789 in Beirut versus $477 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,390 per month in Beirut versus $1,031 in Medellin – a 35% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 75% less than in Beirut. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,031 in Medellin versus $1,390 in Beirut, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Beirut. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Medellin is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Beirut, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 35% less than in Beirut. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.